(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paint-by-numbers type of kit, as well as to a method of generating an accurate and artistically pleasing mosaic reproduction of a photograph or graphic image.
(b) Discussion of Known Art
In the prior art, kits for creating art works using a paint by numbers approach are well known. Furthermore, methods have been developed in which a user follows some pre-determined pattern in which to apply paints or some other media in order to create a work of art. Paint-by-numbers kits offer a novice user the capability of easily creating a painting by following a predetermined design of pattern and color.
A problem, however, with the approach taken by designers of traditional paint by numbers approaches is that they provide a boundary and a number within that boundary. This fixed boundary approach results in paintings that can be easily detected as being of the paint-by-numbers variety. The finished painting has an uninteresting, cartoon-like quality. Furthermore, the user may chose only from a pre-developed set of finished kits and the quality of the kits is determined completely by the creativity and skill of the kit manufacturer. The kits themselves are time-consuming to generate since there is no automated process to generate the patterned surface medium onto which the user will paint. Still further, the painting process associated with these known devices leaves little opportunity for the user add his or her own creative input, and result in nearly identical paintings regardless of the talents of the person carrying out the painting.
The paintings are typically of some generic scene that has been selected by the manufacturer, such as mountain panorama, ocean beach with breaking waves, or wildlife. Thus, there remains a method that allows the user to select and create an accurately reproduced painting that has the appearance of a freehand painting, starting directly from an image such as a photograph or graphic image.
Other methods have been developed in which a user can create an art work by using special ink or paint applicators to apply patterns of color media to selected areas of the surface medium. However, in these systems the surface medium again contains a pre-defined pattern or borders onto which the user applies the color media (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,836,381 and 5,344,322).
Thus, there remains a need for a system and method that assists the user in producing a painting, such as an abstract painting of a completely creative or decorative nature and does not recreate in an accurate way an original image.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a paint by numbers kit which is an accurate and artistically pleasing painted reproduction of any photograph or graphic image.
There remains a need for a paint by numbers or guided system that can be generated by the user, starting with a simple, automated process.
There remains a need for a paint by numbers or guided system that can be used to create a painted artwork with photographic realism.
There remains a need for a paint by numbers or guided system that allows a user to generate a painted reproduction of a photograph or graphic image of any size and detail.